FA to have final say on Wembley, says No 10

By George Jones

12:00AM BST 11 Sep 2001

TONY Blair was accused of "turning his back" on plans for a new Wembley stadium yesterday.

Fresh doubts were raised about the project after Downing Street indicated that the Football Association would have the final say on where it would be built. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said Tessa Jowell, the Culture Secretary, had received a report 10 days ago from Patrick Carter, the businessman called in to "knock heads together".

But the spokesman stressed that it was for the FA to decide what to do next after the report outlined possible ways ahead.

There have been suggestions that the new stadium could be built elsewhere, possibly in Birmingham. Downing Street said Miss Jowell would meet FA executives in the next "two to three weeks" and hand over the report, leaving it for them to make public their next move.

Mr Blair's spokesman refused to disclose any of the report's findings.

The Government has already paid £120 million of National Lottery money towards redeveloping Wembley and has made clear that it would not write a "blank cheque" to cover escalating costs. Government officials stressed that ministers would come to a view on where the stadium should be sited and make it known, but the final decision would rest with the FA.

Peter Ainsworth, the Conservative culture spokesman, said Mr Blair, "having turned his back on the Dome, is now turning his back on Wembley".